Cantilever
by justjoy
Summary: Honesty wasn't always the best policy, not in the Kaitou Kid's book, but there were always exceptions. And when you were the one who burned the bridge, it was your responsibility to build it back.


DISCLAIMER: There's a good reason why students are not mangakas, and mangakas are not students. It just wouldn't work, really.

Author's Note: Set some time after Kirin's Horn heist - 585 to 587 in the anime, 712 to 715 in the manga - when Kid and Conan next meet. Somewhat inspired by a fic about how Kid's use of the stun gun on Conan could have turned out instead, although for the life of me I have no idea what the title was. Also, this assumes that Kid already knows who Conan really is. Anyway, here is my take on it!

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**fic time!**

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"You tasered me. The last time we met."

Kid's been thinking about it as well. There are so many answers that he could give, but he's curious and uncertain about what the detective intends to go with this, so he goes with the safest option. "So I did."

"You do realise that it was unsafe, don't you?" Kudo has his back to him, looking out the window, and he isn't quite sure how to take that, isn't quite certain what it means.

"Belatedly, yes. I'm afraid that - " here he breaks off, suddenly unwilling to sidestep the truth or embellish it with his customary cover of poetic words and gentlemanly mannerisms.

Abruptly, Kid realises that this is the first talk they've had where it's entirely the detective calling the shots, quite unlike their usual meetings where they're both working to outwit the other.

"What can I say, tantei-kun? It was an honest mistake." He shrugs even though Kudo can't see him, the gesture careless, almost flippant. "The way you act, it's easy to forget about your physical age."

In this, if nothing else, his tone is perfectly earnest. Kaito is more than willing to concede that much in his debt to the detective, though it is still a compromise - he's not quite ready to slip fully out of Kid's polite, decorous manner of speech, because that would likely mean slipping back into Kuroba Kaito's easygoing tones, and around a sharp mind like tantei-kun's such a move could easily bring more consequences than he cared to deal with.

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It occurs to him for a moment to wonder exactly how _Kid_ of all people had come to know enough of his situation to make that distinction between his physical and mental age, but he quickly files that thought away under the list of things he'll never quite figure out about the thief unless he asks. Even doing that wouldn't guarantee him a straight answer, perhaps yielding nothing more than another of the thief's carefully uninformative replies.

Finally, he turns to face the thief, gaze flicking quickly and automatically over the white clad figure even though he is already well aware of what he would see.

"Can't blame you for that, I guess. Even I forget that often enough myself," he says wryly, and there's a sudden sense of vertigo because he doesn't know who he's speaking as, whether those words are those of Kudo Shinichi or Edogawa Conan.

He decides, just as quickly, that he doesn't care. More important boundaries have been blurred tonight, such as the one he'd unhesitatingly crossed when he began this conversation with the thief rather than moving to catch him straight away.

In fact, he wonders if Kid himself isn't bending some boundaries right now, because while this certainly isn't the first conversation of length that he's had with the thief, it feels _different_ from all the ones they've had before, although he can't quite say why.

"But that still wasn't any excuse for me to have been so careless, although I do recall that you got back at me rather... ah, effectively," Kid answers with a mock grimace, some of his usual levity creeping back into the words as he speaks.

"Yes, I did, didn't I?" He smirks, the expression turning into a fierce, almost predatory grin before it fades away again in the peculiar severity of the situation.

"For all that a thief's apology is worth, I truly am sorry, tantei-kun. Like I said, you're my best critic. I'd like to think that we've established a good working relationship between us, and I want to keep that if at all possible."

He regards the thief from behind fake lenses, thinking. The adrenaline of that day's heist had been enough to keep away his thoughts, so it wasn't until late that night when he fully realised how much danger Kid had put him in with the stun gun. But the same sincerity that colours Kid's voice is reflected clearly in his eyes, and the detective finds himself unsurprised, even though it's the first time that he's seen it.

"Apology accepted," he says finally, not quite realising until then how much he'd wanted to hear the thief's words. "I have enough people to watch over my shoulder for, and I don't need to add you to that list. Can I trust you with that much?"

Kid tilts his head, and there is a sudden obscuring shine of moonlight reflecting off that monocle, but Conan thinks that he sees a definite shift in the thief's expression for a moment - surprise? relief?

He can't tell, and he doesn't need to, really.

The detective blinks, and the expression's gone again, leaving behind nothing but a smooth mask, although he can still see the earnesty behind Kid's intense gaze.

"I promise, tantei-kun. Kaitou's honour."

It's an olive branch that Kid's offering to him, he can recognise that much - and what has the world come to, indeed, that he's standing here and accepting a promise from an internationally wanted criminal with a record that goes back for longer than he's even been alive as Kudo Shinichi, no matter the fact that the one he's talking to probably isn't even the same person Kaitou Kid started out as. Yet he's certain that Kid will keep his word, because if there's nothing else that Conan admires about the thief he does have some grudging respect for his unfailingly strict adherence to his moral code.

So he nods, and it occurs to him that they must make quite the odd tableau right now, physical contrast only made more striking by the air of near-camaraderie as they stand opposite each other.

Kid breaks the moment with a cocky grin, and Conan returns it with an equally confident smirk of his own - suddenly, they're thief and detective again, two players on starkly different sides of the law.

"So, given up on catching me for today, then, tantei-kun?"

He's already reaching for his shoe before Kid can even finish speaking. "Not a chance."

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**END**

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2nd Author's Note: For some reason, Kaito refused to come along for most of this fic, and insisted that I use Kid instead. Blame it on Conan.

3rd (and last!) Author's Note: This probably isn't the most polished fic I've written, but I hope you (kinda) enjoyed it anyway! Do leave a review and tell me what you think :D thanks for reading!


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